The Cheesy Truth: What Makes Poutine So Good?

Poutine is a Canadian dish, invented in Quebec in the 1950s, that combines crispy French fries, savoury gravy, and melted cheese. While the gravy and fries are fairly straightforward, the cheese used in poutine is a little more complex.

The cheese used in poutine is traditionally cheese curds, which are solid pieces of curdled milk. These can be eaten alone as a snack or added to the fries and gravy to make poutine. Cheese curds can be found in white or yellow, but white cheese curds are the ones to use for poutine. They are big, stretchy, and have a mild, salty flavour. They also squeak as you eat them!

If you can't get hold of cheese curds, mozzarella is the closest substitute, but it won't be the same. The mozzarella should be torn into chunks, not shredded, so that it doesn't melt completely.

Poutine is made with cheese curds

Poutine is a Canadian dish that originated in Quebec in the 1950s. It is made with three key ingredients: French fries, cheese curds, and gravy. The cheese curds are what make poutine "authentic". They are solid pieces of curdled milk that can be eaten alone as a snack or added to fries and gravy to make poutine.

Cheese curds can be found in white or yellow colours, but white cheese curds are the ones traditionally used for poutine. They are usually made from cheddar cheese and have a mild, salty flavour. Cheese curds will not melt entirely in poutine, instead, they add a chewy texture to the dish. Good cheese curds will also squeak as you eat!

If you can't get your hands on cheese curds, there are a few substitutes that can be used. The closest substitution would be torn chunks (not shredded!) of a full-fat block of mozzarella cheese. You want the cheese in chunks so it doesn't melt completely and you get that signature chewy texture. Other possible substitutions include halloumi, light cheddar, cottage cheese, or gouda. However, it is important to note that if poutine is made without cheese curds, it is technically not a poutine.

To make poutine, start by frying your French fries. Poutine fries are traditionally deep-fried, but they can also be baked or air-fried. The key to a good French fry is using the right potatoes. High-starch potatoes like Russet or Idaho potatoes are best because they are dense and have the least amount of moisture. Cut the potatoes into equally sized strips and soak them in cold water before frying to prevent them from browning. Fry the potatoes twice, once at a lower temperature to cook the inside of the fries, and once at a higher temperature to make the outside golden and crispy.

While the fries are cooking, you can make the gravy. The gravy should be rich, brown, and hot so that it melts the cheese. A good poutine gravy recipe includes butter, fresh herbs, flour or cornstarch to thicken it, and beef and/or chicken broth. You can also add some acid like wine or vinegar to balance out the fat.

Finally, assemble your poutine by placing the hot fries on a plate or in a bowl and topping with cheese curds. Pour the hot gravy over the top and serve immediately. The hot gravy will melt the cheese curds, creating a deliciously gooey mess. Enjoy your poutine!

These are solid pieces of curdled milk

Cheese curds are solid pieces of curdled milk. They are moist and sometimes referred to as "squeaky cheese". Cheese curds are made from pasteurized milk in the process of creating cheese when bacterial culture is added to clot the milk. After the milk clots, it is then cut into cubes, resulting in a mixture of whey and curd.

Cheese curds are a key ingredient in authentic poutine, a Canadian dish. Poutine is composed of fries topped with cheese curds and hot gravy. The heat from the gravy melts the cheese to create a delicious, indulgent melty dish.

Cheese curds can be found in white or yellow colours. White cheese curds are the ones used for poutine. They are usually made from cheddar cheese and have a mild, salty flavour. Cheese curds will not melt entirely in poutine; instead, they add a chewy texture to the dish. Good cheese curds will squeak as you eat!

If you can't get your hands on cheese curds, you can substitute them with torn chunks (not shredded!) of a full-fat block of mozzarella cheese. However, this is not considered authentic poutine.

White cheese curds are best

White cheese curds are also a good source of protein and calcium. They are made from pasteurized milk, which means that they are safe to eat even if they are not melted completely in the poutine. In addition, white cheese curds have a longer shelf life than yellow cheese curds, so they will stay fresh longer.

Finally, white cheese curds are usually easier to find than yellow cheese curds. They are often sold in bags in the deli area of grocery stores, and most stores carry them. So, if you're looking to make authentic poutine, white cheese curds are the way to go!

Mozzarella can be used as a substitute

Cheese curds are considered the "authentic" choice for poutine, and they can be hard to find in some areas. If you can't get hold of any, mozzarella is the next best thing. However, it's important to use the right kind of mozzarella: a full-fat block mozzarella that you would shred and put on top of a pizza, rather than fresh mozzarella. It should be torn into chunks, not shredded, so that it doesn't melt completely. The chunks should be around the size of your little finger, as this is part of the poutine experience.

Some people also suggest adding a small amount of Parmesan to the mozzarella to get the right level of saltiness.

Other substitutes

If you can't get hold of mozzarella, other possible substitutes include halloumi, light cheddars, cottage cheese, paneer, and queso fresco. However, these are likely to be even less similar to the traditional cheese curds than mozzarella.

Making your own cheese curds

If you're feeling adventurous, you could even try making your own cheese curds from scratch. This requires special ingredients like rennet and non-ultra-pasteurized milk, but it's a fun project if you're interested in cheesemaking.

Poutine gravy should be hot

Why Poutine Gravy Should Be Hot

Poutine is a Canadian dish that consists of French fries topped with cheese curds and hot gravy. The word "poutine" is a Quebecois slang word that means "mess".

The magic happens when crispy, salted French fries mix with gooey melted cheese and hot gravy. The hot gravy melts the cheese curds into a gooey mess while you eat. If the gravy is not hot enough, you will get lumps of squeaky cheese and cold, wet fries.

To make poutine, you need to heat the oil to 365 degrees F and warm the gravy on the stove or in the microwave. You then fry the French fries and drain them on paper towels. The fries are placed on a serving platter, and then you sprinkle cheese over them and ladle warmed gravy over the fries and cheese.

The gravy is made by melting butter over medium-low heat and then adding in pepper and flour. The broths are then combined and slowly added to the flour mixture.

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